Tercio vs Keils

[AlexDetrojan]

So, having a fun battle with Age Of Machiavelli Spanish vs French, me as the Spanish. All things being equal, I didn't realize how easily Keils own Tercios! I'm getting chewed up. Swiss and Landsknecht keils just run over tercios. So is this one of the reasons that tercios were eventually replaced by Pike and Shot units? I thought tercios were much vaunted and could hold up to anything...I'm getting a rough education.
Cheers
Alex

[SnuggleBunnies]

Well, the Swiss are Elite troops and are just exceptionally terrifying to... well, anyone.

Setting them aside, Early Tercios are also Keils, but they are only half melee troops and thus get +50 POA for melee, while full pike keils get +100POA. So, in the melee, Tercios are outclassed by full pike keils, all other things being equal (troop quality etc).

However.

Tercios are much more flexible troops. Their supporting missile troops are integrated into the unit. This enables them to inflict damage on the enemy if they are in a standoff over a river or other terrain feature, or defending a location. If they are facing enemy cavalry, they can fire, instead of taking the risk of disrupting by charging the cavalry. If confronted by skirmishers, they can simply fire back, instead of futiley trying to chase.

As for their gradual replacement - they are, compared to later, less dense units, wasteful of men, and use firepower inefficiently. Larger numbers of thinner formations can cover more ground and bring more muskets to bear, at the cost of having more vulnerable flanks.

[AlexDetrojan]

Ah, this makes sense now. Thanks.
Cheers
Alex

[Aryaman]

Historically, tercios were not formations, until early 17th century they were commands similar to modern brigades, in the sense that they were composed by a variable number of companies that could be exchanged with other tercios, they could be deployed 50 ranks deep for an assault or just 10 ranks to maximize frontage and firepower. Theorically, according to Londoña, they were supposed to be operationally independent units about 3000 strong with their own organical artillery and cavalry, but in reality they were just around 1000 strong only infantry units. The proportion of pike was down to less than 50% already by 1580s. However all those subtilities were not possible in the game.